[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 199 (Thursday, October 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55404-55405]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27640]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[NM-030-1310-00]


Intent To Prepare A Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) and 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Public Land in Otero and 
Sierra Counties, NM

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an RMPA/EIS and invitation to 
participate in identification of issues and planning criteria.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 
regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), and the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, the BLM, Las Cruces Field Office will 
direct preparation of a Fluid Minerals Leasing RMPA/EIS by Dames and 
Moore, Inc., a qualified consultant. The RMPA/EIS will address fluid 
minerals (oil, gas, and geothermal) leasing and subsequent activities 
(e.g., exploration, development, and/or production) on public land in 
Otero and Sierra Counties, New Mexico. Planning efforts for the RMPA 
will determine which public land and fluid minerals should be made 
available for leasing and subsequent activities, and what requirements 
(stipulations) may be needed to protect other resource values. The EIS 
will identify the potential impacts that fluid minerals leasing and 
subsequent activities could have on the environment and identify 
appropriate measures to mitigate those impacts.
    The BLM will conduct three public scoping meetings. All of the 
public meetings will be informal to foster public attendance and input. 
The dates, times, and locations for these meetings are as follows:

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                   Date                               Location
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Monday, November 2, 1998, 6:30 p.m. to      Best Western Sally Port Inn,
 8:30 p.m.                                   2000 N. Main, Roswell, New
                                             Mexico.
Wednesday, November 4, 1998, 6:30 p.m. to   Civic Center, 800 E. First
 8:30 p.m.                                   St., Alamogordo, New
                                             Mexico.
Thursday, November 5, 1998, 6:30 p.m. to    Civic Center, 400 W. Fourth
 8:30 p.m.                                   St., Truth of Consequences,
                                             New Mexico.
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DATES: Written comments will be accepted through November 16, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Theresa Hanley, BLM, Las Cruces 
Field Office, 1800 Marquess, Las Cruces, NM 88005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theresa Hanley, Team Leader, at (505) 
525-4342 or Russ Jentgen at (505) 525-4351.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of issuing Federal fluid mineral 
leases is to provide the opportunity to explore for and produce 
domestic resources of fluid minerals to meet the National demand for 
fluid minerals leasing through the Minerals Leasing Act of 1920, as 
amended. Previous environmental and planning documents were prepared to 
address fluid minerals leasing for this area (public land in Sierra and 
Otero Counties), including the Environmental Assessment for Oil and Gas 
and Geothermal Leasing in the White Sands Resource Area completed in 
1981, and the White Sands RMP completed in 1986. However, large 
increases in oil and gas lease nominations in 1998 prompted the BLM to 
review the RMP. It was found to lack information to make leasing 
decisions commensurate with the increased leasing nominations and 
potential subsequent exploration and development. BLM is developing 
this RMPA/EIS to be consistent with current laws, regulations, and 
supplemental program guidance (BLM Manual Section 1624.2) for fluid 
minerals leasing and providing the public an opportunity to review the 
leasing decision-making. The RMPA/EIS will determine where and under 
what conditions fluid minerals leasing and subsequent activities will 
be permitted. The determinations will provide the basis for timing, 
surface use, and no surface occupancy stipulations that will be 
attached to Federal fluid mineral leases. The RMPA/EIS also will 
identify the circumstances necessary for granting waivers, exceptions, 
or modifications to stipulations. The RMPA/EIS will be a Category 2 
Amendment as defined in BLM Manual Section 1617.42.
    The planning area will include public land in Otero and Sierra 
Counties, encompassing 2.4 million surface acres administered by BLM 
and 3.7 acres of Federal mineral estate.
    It is anticipated that the RMPA/EIS process will require 24 months 
to complete and will include public and agency scoping, coordination 
and consultation with Federal, State, tribal, and local agencies, 
public review and public hearings on the published draft RMPA/draft 
EIS, a published proposed RMPA/final EIS, published Record of Decision, 
and Plan Amendment. Publication of the Record of Decision is 
anticipated in September 2000.
    BLM public information and scoping will include notification to the 
public and Federal, state, tribal, and local agencies of the proposed 
action; identification by the public of the range of issues and 
concerns to be considered in the EIS; development of planning criteria; 
and the solicitation of assistance from the public to identify 
reasonable alternatives. In addition, the public will have the 
opportunity to ask questions regarding the proposed project at 
scheduled public scoping meetings (see SUMMARY section of this notice).
    Written comments should address: (1) Issues to be considered, (2) 
if the planning criteria are adequate for the issues, (3) feasible and 
reasonable alternatives to examine, and (4) relevant information having 
a bearing on the RMPA/EIS. BLM will maintain a mailing list of parties 
and persons interested in being kept informed about the progress of the 
RMPA/EIS.

Description of Possible Alternatives

    A range of reasonable alternatives, including an alternative 
considering no action as required by NEPA, will be developed and 
analyzed in the EIS. Through scoping, the public will assist in 
developing the alternatives. One alternative will be selected as the 
agency-preferred alternative.

Anticipated Decisions and Criteria

    The anticipated decisions will include answers to the following:

[[Page 55405]]

     Which public land and fluid minerals should be available 
for leasing and subsequent activities?
     On which lands are standard lease terms and conditions 
sufficient?
     Which public land should be available for leasing with 
constraints (e.g., timing limitations, no surface occupancy, controlled 
surface use)?
     Which leasing stipulations from existing plans are 
appropriate and sufficient to protect other resource values?
     Which public land should be closed to fluid minerals 
leasing?
    Preliminary planning criteria for guiding the development of the 
RMPA/EIS include the following. Actions must:
     Comply with laws, executive orders, and regulations.
     Provide for orderly leasing and development of fluid 
minerals while providing for the protection of environmental resources 
and minimizing the extent of impact on the environment.
     Provide for the conservation of mineral resources.
     Provide for rehabilitation of affected land.
     Minimize soil erosion.
     Provide for protection of water resources.
     Provide for protection and management of plant and animal 
special status species.
     Provide for protection and management of wildlife and 
wildlife habitat.
     Provide for protection of cultural and paleontological 
resources.
     Provide for availability of recreation opportunities.
     Protect and enhance visual quality.
     Provide for public health and safety.
     Consider social and economic effects.
    Resource concerns to be addressed include lands and access, 
minerals, soils, water resources, wilderness study areas, air quality, 
vegetation, wildlife, special status species, livestock grazing, 
cultural and paleontological resources, recreation, visual resources, 
and social and economic conditions.

    Dated: October 8, 1998.
Josie Banegas,
Acting Field Manager, Las Cruces.
[FR Doc. 98-27640 Filed 10-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VC-P